Verbs with Their Types Uses and Examples

Verbs are one of the most essential parts of speech in the English language. They are action words that help us to express different types of actions in our writing and speech. However, not all verbs are created equal. There are several types of verbs that we use, each with its unique purpose and function. Some common types of verbs include transitive, intransitive, regular, irregular, linking, modal, phrasal, and auxiliary. Understanding verbs is essential for both speaking and writing effectively. In this article, we will explore the different types of verbs, their uses, and examples to help you understand them better. So let’s get started!

What Are Verbs?

Verbs are words that express actions, occurrences, or states of being in a sentence. They are often called “action words or doing words” because they tell us what someone is doing or what is happening. For example, in the sentence “She is reading a novel,” “is reading” is the verb because it tells us what the subject (she) is doing. Verbs are essential for creating meaningful sentences because they describe the actions or conditions of the subjects. Every sentence requires a verb, without verbs, sentences wouldn’t make sense.

Verbs can be classified into various categories, such as action verbs (e.g., “run,” “eat,” “write”), helping verbs (e.g., “will,” “have,” “can”), and linking verbs (e.g., “is,” “am,” “were”), etc. They often answer questions like “What is happening?” or “What the subject is doing?” Verbs also indicate the time of action – whether it’s happening now (present tense), happened in the past (past tense), or will happen in the future (future tense).

For example:

She runs every morning. (action in the present)
He ate lunch an hour ago. (action in the past)
They will write a report tomorrow. (action in the future)
I am reading a book. (progressive aspect)
She has completed her assignment. (perfect aspect)

Types of Verbs

Verbs can be categorized into various types based on their functions and characteristics. Here are some common types of verbs:

Action verbs
Linking verbs
Helping Verbs (Auxiliary Verbs)
Modal Verbs
Transitive verbs
Intransitive Verbs
Regular verbs
Irregular verbs
Phrasal verbs
Reflexive Verbs
Dynamic verbs
Stative verbs
Finite Verbs
Non-Finite Verbs

Action verbs

Action verbs are words that describe actions, which means things that people or things do. They show us what is happening. Action verbs can be physical actions like “run,” “jump,” “eat,” or mental actions like “think,” “dream,” and “imagine.” For example:

Physical actions: “She runs in the park.” In this sentence, “runs” is an action verb because it describes the physical action of running.
Mental actions: “He thinks carefully.” Here, “thinks” is the action verb because it shows what he is doing in his mind.
Both physical and mental actions: “They study hard.” In this case, “study” is the action verb because it can involve both physical actions (like reading) and mental actions (thinking about what’s being learned).

Here are a few more example Sentences:

He writes a letter to his friend.
They play soccer after school.
She reads a book in the library.
The cat sleeps on the couch.
I cook dinner every evening.
The dog barks loudly.

Some common action verbs:

Run
Eat
Sleep
Jump
Talk
Walk
Drive
Read
Write
Sing
Swim
Dance
Play
Cook
Laugh
Study
Work
Climb
Clean
Paint
Listen
Watch
Cut
Build
Teach
Open
Close
Fly
Kick
Smile
Think

Linking verbs

Linking verbs are special types of verbs that connect the subject of a sentence with a subject complement, which is a word or group of words that describes or renames the subject. Instead of showing an action, like “run” or “jump,” linking verbs link or connect the subject to additional information about it. These verbs are often used to express a state of being or to describe a condition. For instance:

The flower is beautiful.

In this sentence, “is” is the linking verb. It doesn’t show any action but connects the subject “flower” with the complement “beautiful,” telling us something about the flower.

He became a doctor.

Here, “became” is the linking verb that connects the subject “He” to the noun “doctor.” It shows a change in his identity or state.

She feels tired.

In this sentence, “feels” connects “she” to “tired,” indicating her state of tiredness.

Some common linking verbs:

is
am
are
was
were
seem
become
appear
feel
sound
look
taste
smell
remain
stay
turn
grow
prove
become
get

Helping Verbs (Auxiliary Verbs)

Helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs, are a type of verb used in English to complement the main verb in a sentence. They assist in forming different tenses, moods, voices, and aspects, and they can also convey important information about the relationship between different elements in a sentence. Common helping verbs include “be” (am, is, are, was, were, etc.), “have” (has, have, had), and “do” (does, did). These verbs can also stand alone as main verbs, but when they team up with another main verb, they become helping verbs.

There are three primary helping verbs in English:

“Be” (am, is, are, was, were, etc.): This helping verb is used to show a state of being or existence. It helps us understand if something is happening right now (is, am), in the past (was, were), or in the future (will be).

For example:

He is playing cricket. (Present continuous)
The book was read by her. (Passive voice)

“Have” (has, have, had): “Have” helps indicate possession or completion of an action. It tells us if someone currently possesses something (has), if they’ve completed an action in the past (had), or if they’ve done something multiple times (have).

For example:

She has eaten (Present perfect)
They had finished their work. (Past perfect)

“Do” (do, does, did): “Do” is used for asking questions, forming negatives, or adding emphasis to a sentence. “Did” is used in past questions and negative statements, such as “Did you see that movie?” or “They did not attend the party.”

For example:

He does like chocolate. (Present simple – affirmative)
Do you like ice cream? (Present simple – question)
They didn’t study for the test. (Past simple – negative)

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are a special group of verbs that we use to show things like ability, possibility, necessity, and permission. They’re like little helpers in our sentences, making it easier to express ideas about what can, might, should, or must happen.

Some common modal verbs in English:

Can
Could
May
Might
Shall
Should
Will
Would
Must
Ought to

Example sentences:

She can speak Spanish. (ability)
Could you please pass the salt? (polite request)
May I use your phone? (permission)
Shall we go for a walk? (suggestion)
You should study for the test. (advice)
I will call you tomorrow. (future action)
You ought to apologize for your mistake. (moral obligation)

Modal verbs express different levels of possibility, necessity, or permission in these sentences.

Transitive verbs

Transitive verbs are a type of action word in a sentence that requires an object to complete its meaning. They are like messengers in a sentence that carry the action from the doer of the action (the subject) to something or someone who receives the action (the object). They don’t work alone; they always have a direct object to complete their meaning. Transitive verbs often answer the question “what” or “whom” after the verb. For example, in the sentence “She eats pizza,” the verb “eats” is transitive because it needs an object, which is “pizza,” to tell us what she is eating.

Here are a few more examples to make it clear:

He wrote a letter. (Wrote what? – a letter)
They built a house. (Built what? – a house)
She kicked the ball. (Kicked what? – the ball)
She eats (Eats what? – breakfast)
I watch a movie. (Watch what? – a movie)

Some common transitive verbs:

Eat
Drink
Write
Read
Play
Cook
Kick
Carry
Open
Close
Hit
Paint
Build
Push
Pull
Love
Hate
Find
Send
Toss

Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive verbs don’t need an object to complete their action in a sentence. Instead, they stand on their own and tell us what someone or something is doing. For example, when someone says, “She runs,” you don’t need to know what she’s running to or running for – there’s no need for anything or anyone else in the sentence. The action is clear – the person is running.

Some common intransitive verbs:

Arrive
Sleep
Run
Laugh
Cry
Sing
Fall
Jump
Exist
Walk
Swirl
Stand
Sit
Wait
Appear
Disappear
Vanish
Occur
Live
Die
Chat
Talk
Fly
Depart
Relax

Regular verbs and Irregular verbs

Regular verbs are the easy ones! They follow a predictable pattern when you want to change them into the past tense. You just need to add “ed” to the base form of the verb. For example:

Walk (base form) becomes Walked (past tense)
Talk (base form) becomes Talked (past tense)

Example sentence:

Present: I talk to my friend every day.
Past: Yesterday, I talked to my friend.
Past Participle: I have talked to my friend.

On the other hand, Irregular verbs don’t follow the typical “-ed” pattern when changing tenses. Each irregular verb has its unique way of changing forms, and you have to memorize these changes. For example:

Present: I go to school every day.
Past: Yesterday, I went to school.
Past Participle: I have gone to school.

So, “I go to school” becomes “I went to school” in the past tense. As you can see, “went” and “gone” are not formed by adding “-ed.” Irregular verbs have their own rules, and you have to remember them.

Some common regular and irregular verbs:

Verb (Base Form)	Past Tense (Simple Past)	Past Participle
Regular Verbs
walk	walked	walked
talk	talked	talked
play	played	played
love	loved	loved
call	called	called
Irregular Verbs
go	went	gone
eat	ate	eaten
see	saw	seen
take	took	taken
break	broke	broken
have	had	had

Phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs are like word combinations in English that give new meanings to simple verbs. They usually consist of two or three words: a verb and one or more particles like prepositions or adverbs. Together, they create a unique meaning that can be quite different from the individual words.

For example, let’s take the phrasal verb “take off.” On its own, “take” means to grab something, and “off” usually means to remove something. But when you say “take off” together, it means to lift into the sky, like a plane taking off from the runway. Phrasal verbs can be a bit tricky because they don’t always follow strict rules, and their meanings can change depending on the context. Sometimes, the same phrasal verb can have multiple meanings, which can make learning them a bit challenging.

Some common phrasal verbs with example sentences:

Turn on: Please turn on the lights. (This means to activate the lights, typically a switch.)
Wake up: I need to wake up early tomorrow. (This means to stop sleeping and get out of bed.)
Take off: The plane is about to take off. (This means the plane is departing and lifting into the air.)
Turn off: Don’t forget to turn off the TV before you leave. (This means to switch off or stop a device or appliance.)
Break down: My car broke down on the highway. (This means the car stopped working.)
Look for: I need to look for my lost keys. (This means to search for something.)
Run into: I ran into my old friend at the mall. (This means to meet someone unexpectedly.)
Give up: Don’t give up on your dreams; keep trying. (This means to stop trying or to quit.)

Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs are action words in a sentence that describe an action that a subject does to itself. In other words, the subject of the verb both acts and receives the action. These verbs often include a reflexive pronoun, like “myself,” “yourself,” “himself,” “herself,” “itself,” “ourselves,” “yourselves,” or “themselves.” These verbs are common when talking about actions related to personal care, daily routines, or feelings. For instance:

He hurt himself.
She washed herself.
He dresses himself every morning.
They enjoyed themselves at the party
I always remind myself to stay calm.
He blamed himself for the mistake.
I’d like to introduce myself.

These sentences use regular reflexive verbs to show actions that individuals perform on themselves.

Dynamic Verbs

Dynamic verbs, also known as action verbs, describe actions or activities that have a clear beginning and end. These verbs show actions that can be seen, heard, felt, or experienced. They are all about things that are happening right now or in a specific timeframe. Dynamic verbs are full of action and energy. Examples of dynamic verbs include “run,” “jump,” “sing,” “write,” and “dance.” These verbs depict actions that are dynamic and can change over time. For instance:

He works at the office from 9 to 5.

The dynamic verb “works” tells us about his ongoing action of working. It’s something he does during specific hours.

Some common dynamic verbs:

Run
Jump
Swim
Dance
Sing
Play
Laugh
Write
Read
Talk
Cook
Drive
Build
Climb
Fight
Paint
Solve
Walk
Hike
Ride
Kick
Bake
Kick
Fly
Eat

Stative Verbs

Stative verbs, on the other hand, describe states, conditions, or situations that are generally unchanging. They represent things that don’t have a clear start or finish and often express emotions, thoughts, or states of being. Stative verbs show a state of mind or a constant condition rather than an action. Examples of stative verbs include “like,” “believe,” “know,” “seem,” and “love.” These verbs convey something static or unchanging. For instance:

She knows the answer.

(Here “Knows” is a stative verb because it describes a state of knowledge, not an action.)

Some common stative verbs:

Be (am, is, are, was, were, etc.)
seem
appear
become
feel
look
sound
smell
taste
have (when indicating possession)
like
love
hate
prefer
know
believe
understand
remember
forget
mind
think (when expressing an opinion)
hope
wish
desire
mean
include
contain
consist
belong
owe

Types of Verbs

FAQs about Verbs and their Types

Q1: What is a verb?

A verb is a word that describes an action, occurrence, or state of being in a sentence. It’s often referred to as an “action word.”

Q2: What are the main types of verbs?

The main types of verbs include action verbs, linking verbs, helping verbs (auxiliary verbs), modal verbs, transitive verbs, intransitive verbs, regular verbs, irregular verbs, reflexive verbs, and phrasal verbs.

Q3: What are modal verbs used for?

Modal verbs express necessity, possibility, or permission. Examples include “must,” “can,” “should,” and “might.”

Q4: What is the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs?

Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning, while intransitive verbs do not need a direct object. For example, “She ate the cake” (transitive) and “He sleeps” (intransitive).

Q5: What is the difference between dynamic and stative verbs?

Dynamic verbs describe actions or processes, while stative verbs describe states, conditions, emotions, or thoughts. For example, “run” is dynamic, and “know” is stative.

Q6: Give some example sentences of verbs.

Here are some examples sentences of verbs: